The Splicing of Mark Hadleigh
by ProjectXanatos
Summary: An ordinary mechanic working in Rapture has decided to become one of the first users of a new Plasmid . . . After finishing, please Read and Review.
1. Chapter One: An Applicant

I waited in the lobby, nervously tapping my fingers against my forearms as the Ink Spots' '_The Gypsy'_ played over the speakers. I was about to commit myself to being a test subject for Dr. Yi Suchong's new Plasmid, '_Electro Bolt'_. Sure, I loved to mess around with almost anything that concerns machines, but using myself as an electrical conduit was taking it _a bit _too far. I was just about to rescind my offer to participate, when Dimitri suddenly appeared in front of me. The Russian-American smiled at me, his calm yet cold grey gaze looking at me. The man was a relatively unknown scientist, mainly working on Bio-Mechanics, such as the newly released '_Big Daddie'_.

"Mark," he began with that light Russian accent, "Please tell me you are not actually go to _Splice_ yourself?" The man shifted his left arm, which was hidden from view under his sterile white lab coat. He was called a '_Purist'_, which was a person who chose not to Splice themselves at all.

I nodded, knowing that Dimitri disapproved greatly with my decision, "Yeah, one of the first," I gulped silently. And as if it was a godsend, a random announcement squawked over the speakers.

"A Rapture Reminder! Please keep a safe distance away from the Little Sisters. They are helping us, to help you!" the eerily calm male voice said.

Dimitri nodded, true tiredness etched onto his face, ""Hmm, I see... Vell, I suppose I should vish you good luck. Oh, before I forget," he crouched down to eye level, "Suchong is a sneaky bastard. Don't be vrangled into anything that you don't vant to . . ." he spoke in a hoarse whisper. And with that, he vanished without a trace. I shivered lightly; I was always freaked out by that weird habit of his. Then, Bobby Darin's '_Beyond the Sea' _ironically began to play, and my nerves were settled.

Then I saw him: Yi Suchong standing at the double doorway with a sickly kind of smile on his scarred lips. "Are you ready, Mister Hadleigh?" he spoke with a specific, as if patronizing me, like talking to a child. In his right hand was a clipboard, literally stuffed with papers, and in the other was... what was it? A rounded glass bottle that was filled with a sort of disgusting red substance; ADAM, maybe? I stood up and nodded with anticipation and followed the doctor down the long-winded hallway, sleek with white porcelain along the walls. I began to wonder about this aesthetic feel when I heard a shrill scream behind a closed door. Above the doorway read a sign '_Testing for Aggressor Irritant'_.

"Hey doc," I finally spoke as I chewed harshly on my lower lip, "Will this, uh... modification hurt much?" my eyes obviously looking at the doorway.

Suchong chuckled as he continued down the hall, "I would not know. You are first applicant for new Plasmid," he replied. This froze me directly in my tracks, my face clear with shock. My mind began to wander about, images of blood and gore filling my head until I was stopped by the "friendly" scientist.

"Right through here, Mister Hadleigh," he said, motioning towards the door that read '_Testing for Electro Bolt'_. As I walked in, my vision began to become cloudy and dull. My fingers rubbed my eyelids, feeling myself grow drowsy. Suchong's voice then drawled behind me as I fell to the floor with a heavy _thud_.

"Relax Mark. Let your dreams take you..."


	2. Chapter Two: BlackOut

_A short time later…_

Bright lights awoke me from my sleep, my breath heavily drawing into the chest that protected my heart. "Wha-?! What the **fuck** is going on?!" I screamed, sitting up as the light dimmed and I saw the damned doctor and a nurse gazing at me.

"Calm down Ma-"

"CALM DOWN?! You little fuckers drugged me!"

"It's not that bad. We needed you to be under in order to properly administer base of ADAM," he explained calmly, while I was still fuming in anger. I then began to understand; without the anesthetics, the process would have hurt _much more_ than it did.

I grumbled gently, placing my hands on the table and nodding reluctantly. Suchong placed a clean hypodermic needle and syringe before me. "So I just… inject myself?" I inquired, looking at the bulky metal syringe filled with ADAM.

"Jesus," I breathed, connecting the devices to each other, "All right, here we go…" It gleamed brightly in the light as I held it high in the air. The device looked menacing, as if it wanted to dig itself into my vein.

"Easy now, Mr. Hadleigh…" the nurse cooed soothingly. The image of Violeta swam into my mind as I struck my pale blue vein.

I gasped softly as the sharp pain stung for a moment and watched as the image in my mind was violently ripped away. It left me nothing to do but push on the small plunger. Suchong's voice was drowned out; he was recording his observations, obviously into his Accu-Vox. I felt the warm liquid shooting in my bloodstream. The tickling sensation spread throughout my body, making me numb and drop the syringe to the floor.

As the ADAM began to destroy my cells and worked on replacing them with unstable ones, I yelled inexplicably; were my cells screaming with me? I watched my hands twitch and heard my bones disgustingly crack as they restructured themselves. My veins were glowing a bright blue underneath my hands, and heaved forward when my blood began to boil.

"I'm dying!" I blurted out, taking just a split second of weakness, wishing Violeta was right next to me . . . but I knew that she couldn't be. I fell from the table, and tried to keep myself up, gagging and struggling for air.

Then everything went dark.


	3. Chapter Three: An Unknown Power

Voices swirled around my head as I laid on the floor, euphoria clouding my senses.

"Administer more I.V., NOW! We cannot lose 'nother patient!"

"Doctor, the ADAM is obstructing my view!"

"Keep trying!"

_Where am I..? People are so loud sometime . . . is that Suchong? A nurse? Where's Violeta? Everything's foggy- wait! I injected myself with ADAM. I feel . . . I feel . . . POWERFUL!_

"Get off..." I whispered weakly, my eyelids opened to see the doctor grinning somewhat . . . maliciously. "What the fuck happened to me?"

Suchong laughed excitedly, "You survived the process, Mark Hadleigh! You survived!" he looked as giddy as a child getting his birthday present, for obvious reasons. I lived through that horrible experience. I noticed my veins were still glowing with that miraculous shining blue, and that puncture wound still pulsing with soreness. I leisurely stood up from the floor. Apparently, they operated on me while I was "out". Suddenly, I was led into the adjacent room.

"What are we doing?" I asked Suchong, but as I looked onto a round painted target, I immediately understood what was going on. Of its own accord, one of my hands - I was still too damn blasted to tell - lifted itself up and aimed at the target. Without an order, my fingers released an instantaneous bolt of lightning and left my hand crackling with this wonderful invention. The board across from me was heavily charred with a black mark in the middle; a bulls-eye. I felt that adrenaline surge through me whenever I tinkered with electricity, but this feeling was at its _best_.

My fingers continued to release more lightning, and at one occasion glowed gently around my fingertips. I looked at Suchong, who was barely containing his excitement. Then he mentioned the lumbering behemoths.

"You know about Big Daddies, correct?"


	4. Chapter Four: Mr Bubbles are You There?

I nodded in understanding; of course I knew them, since Dimitri had filled me in on the situation when I had completed that flimsy suit of prototype "armor" for him. They were large, dutiful soldiers that protected the Little Sisters at all costs. Suchong motioned for me to follow, and once again we left the room and went down the hall. My entire body was tickled pink; the feeling was wonderful, and I undoubtedly wanted to show Violeta. Perhaps not Dimitri though; I was afraid of how he would react.

After a few minutes I heard a deep moan; like a whale. I knew what that was; a Bouncer. Turning a corner into a large, spacious room, I saw the hulking suit of armor, grumbling as it looked down at the little girl on her knees over a dead body. A disgusting smell wafted into my nostrils and gagged, trying to hold back my vomit reflex. The girl was wearing a slightly dirty pink dress, her arms and legs covered in dirt and blood. She was humming to the tune of Frere Jacques:

"Mr. Bubbles, Mr. Bubbles, are you there?

Are you there?

Come and give me lollies, come and bring me toffies; teddy bear . . . teddy bear."

She then noticed me as I coughed; a large smile painted her lips, her eyes a ghostly yellow. Vacant... but happy. As I wondered what happened to them, the sound of a screeching drill interrupted my thoughts. Looking up, I saw the Bouncer step towards us and prep his drill threateningly. It was obvious what he was telling us; _'Back off and leave'_.

"Test your new power on that Big Daddy, Mark," Suchong stated, moving towards my back, out of the range of fire. I hesitated.

Of course I had a great ability now, but I was a bit unsure that it would be effective against the metal Daddy. "Uh... all right."

Lifting my hand, I made it rigid enough and smiled a bit as I watched the lightning strike the protector. The lights in its Carmagnole-style diving suit darkened from a calm yellow to an enraged red. The low whale bellow knocked the room about and I watched as the Bouncer charged at me. I finally thought rationally, and rolled out of the way. The monster's gigantic drill crushed a hole in the porcelain wall; I gaped in shock. Though the amazing thing was not the drill's power, but the sight of the Little Sister climbing onto its shoulders without fear.

"Get him, Mister B! KILL HIM!" she screeched. I acted quickly; my hands sent a steady stream of electricity and engulfed him in a spectacular light show. But . . . the Little Sister wasn't getting hurt at all! This actually relieved me, and hoped that it wasn't a coincidence that she was "immortal". I then felt a small thud near my shoes; Suchong slid a wrench at my feet. Quickly, I picked it up and took advantage of the immobility of the Big Daddy. I struck the helmet several times, hoping it would be enough, but of course it wasn't. I coughed up blood as a side of the drill hit my chest and sent me flying across the room.

Shit! I'm bleeding . . .

My head was disoriented as I saw the protector round on me. As a final tactic, I picked up the wrench and began to charge it with the Plasmid. "Die . . ." I whispered; with the last of my consciousness, I threw the crackling wrench. I gazed on as the tool flew past the Bouncer and hit a pipe. I heard air being released as I fell back against the wall.

"Mark? Mark!" the Asian barked as I faded into black.


	5. Chapter Five: Rosie and Her

Luckily, the TKO wasn't actually a knockout for me. I staggered back up to my feet and looked dead ahead at my handiwork. I smiled toothily as I noticed that the wrench hit the oxygen tank it had on its back and was causing it to flail about for the source of the hissing. My fingers crackled once again as I marched forward and grasped the Bouncer's hand.

"Hey, big boy . . ." I called to him as his Little Sister screamed in horror, "Die." Moments later, electricity coursed through the metal Daddy's suit and I watched in satisfaction as it howled painfully. Backing off as to not get injured, the lightning reached the oxygen tank and exploded in a colorful light-show. Flames erupted from the large, rounded helmet and pieces fell among my feet.

"No, Mister Bubbles! Get up! NO!" the little girl cried over the large corpse, the licking fire not damaging her at all. Then, something warm cascaded down my right cheek, and I realized what it was: a tear. How could I have be so heartless to not have thought about the child? As I reached up and wiped the tear from my skin, something else lumbered into the room. The tall, light brown diving suit-adorned figure stepped ahead of us and looked at both of us. Lifting its hands up - which were both ready and able! - it motioned to her and howled deeply. Was that a Big Daddy?

The Little Sister grinned happily and ran towards him; I instinctively held out my hand for her to stop until I heard her say, "Mister Bubbles! You're all better!"

Wha..? Didn't she just mourn over the corpse's death? "Suchong!" I called out to him, turning around and looking at the scientist. "I thought-?"

"The Little Sisters believe that there is only _one_ Big Daddy, Mark. Only one - how do they put it? - Mister Bubbles. And that," he explained to me, "is a Rosie." While I was still in wonder, he ushered me out of the horrific room. "Now, you might want to go home. And pick up EVE on your way out, eh?"


	6. Chapter Six: Happy New Year!

**1958, New Year's Eve, 8:46 pm..., Mark's apartment**

"Darlin', you ready?" I called out into the hall as I adjusted my cleanly-pressed dress shirt and hid the eerie blue veins that ran along my rough forearms from view. It was the only drawback to Splicing with _Electro-Bolt_; but it was a small price to pay for it.

"Almost!" Violeta called back in her beautiful, velvet-smooth Translyvanian voice. A few moments passed by with me staring out the window, still marveling at the beautiful, deep ocean when she entered the room. Turning my head, my eyes soaked in my the sight of Violeta's dress; its purple texture held all of her curves just right and complimented her indigo eyes greatly. I was then greeted by a soft kiss and was fully engulfed in bliss once again as I felt her small, delicate hand clutch my chin and break the moment. "We have to go, Mark," she whispered with a small smile.

I crossed my arms and pretended to grimace for a moment before I laughed and turned around. I opened the door for my love and slyly picked a few syringes filled with a blue substance. As I felt the cool steel against my hand I chuckled and thought, _It's New Year's Eve. What could go wrong? _as I slipped them in my pockets and headed out the door.

**11:55 pm..., Kashmir Restaurant**

We were at a table filled with our closet friends, whom all seemed to be having a good time... save for Dimitri. His face looked grim and full of worry as he drank his _Arcadia Wine_. Then again, he basically always looked that way; but, of course, I had to ask, "Dimitri, what's eating ya?" I inquired, leaning towards him with my eyebrow arched up high enough to get a smile out of him. It didn't work.

"Nothing. Everything is... perfectly fine. The Alpha Series is going vell," he replied with a short sigh, which meant that it was not all he was thinking about. I then realized what it was and sighed. Exactly two years ago, Subject Delta was attacked by Splicers and overtaken, and he was forced to commit suicide and shot himself in the head. His Little Sister disappeared not long after that. Since then, Dimitri been trying to round up the other prototypes and put them into hiding.

"You think another will be attacked?" I asked curiously, now getting interested in this theory of his. "Well, you know we can't do anything about it, buddy. They're ghosts, aren't they?"

Dimitri laughed at my comments, and I knew which Daddy he was thinking about in particular: Subject Beta; the small thing didn't fit the description of a Big Daddy. As a waiter refilled my glass, I looked around and wondered what to do now. I then noticed Diane McClintock. She was Mr. Ryan's girlfriend, wasn't she? I closed my eyes and listened to her sob-filled words with regret.

"Another New Year's, another night alone. I'm out, and you're stuck in Hephaestus, working,"

_11:59 pm..._

"Imagine my surprise. I just guess I'll have another drink..." she said with a quiet laugh. The clock was close to midnight for celebration, "... here's a toast to Diane McClintock..."

_20 seconds to midnight..._

"...the silliest girl in Rapture."

_10 seconds to midnight..._

"Silly enough to fall in love with Andrew Ryan,"

_4..._

"Silly-"

_2..._

"Enough-"

1...

"To-"

I turned my head just in time to hear the chime of the clock, and to see the rubble and shrapnel come from all directions, and I immediately pulled Violeta and Dimitri down under the table with. "Long live Atlas!" I heard a high-pitched voice say. "Death to Ryan!" another screeched. My ears were pounding from the close range of gunfire traveling above our heads when I noticed the legs in front of us slumped and watched as one of my friends fell to the floor in a large pool of blood, his eyes filled with horror. I hesitated to lean forward and check his pulse, but just then someone leaned under the table. The figure was a horrible remnant of a woman; her entire face was disgustingly distorted, the left cheek risen to block her eye and a half-broken mask that resembled a rabbit. She grinned at us, a revolver aimed at Violeta's forehead.

"Hello, Mister Hadleigh. Atlas sends his regards," she said with a low whisper before pulling the trigger. My hand lifted itself up and poured a storm of electricity upon her, allowing Dimitri to rush forward and tackle her to the ground.

"Dimitri, get the civilians out here! We'll handle this!" I yelled at him, feeling around for Violeta's hand when I felt the warm, slick liquid on the tips of my fingers. An exhale escaped my lips, fearing the worst when I spun around to look. She was laying on the floor, blood silently running down her dress, coming from her stomach.

"Our . . . our b . . ." she whispered before falling to the floor with a soft _thwump_ and allowing me to pick her up and carry her to Dimitri.

"Get her to safety . . . please," I whispered to him and smiled slightly as I saw him nod. I watched them flee with haste, and turned around. I needed to push them back . . . somehow. The blue veins along my arms spread across my skin like a virus and reached my eyes. From the puddle beneath my feet, I looked enraged with a blue intensity that I knew could only be because of Violeta's injury. The light in my eyes made me looked insane; I hoped it would make the Splicers afraid of my appearance. "ATLAS!" I roared, clenching my hands and charging forward into the battle-zone. My body acted instinctively and saw a large vase of flowers; I smiled deviously. Grasping the clear handle, I threw it at a pair of men who were rifling through a body. They yelled in surprise and pain as the glass struck their backs and was completely soaked with water. I dashed forward and placed my hands on their backs and released a flow of lightning into their skin and gazed on as they screamed when their skin began to burn.

"Mark!" I heard a familiar voice: Hal Freeman. My close friend looked to me, his hands both carrying revolvers. I nodded in relief and started to help him out, dispatching Splicers as they appeared but . . . I didn't expect to see one of _them_ here. Standing in the doorway was a dark figure covered in black, obsidian steel, and looked at us with no visible eyes. I could not see him clearly in the low light, and cursed under my breath to see if he was a danger or not.

Then I realized. The figure charged and I immediately recognized what it was: Alpha Series, Subject Omega, and a heavy weapons expert. I only had enough time to realize this fact as it pushed me over the high balcony and into the small pool below.

Happy _fuckin'_ New Year.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

**Oh wow. I'm freakin' proud of this! I, myself, love it! And it's long! Oh yeah, please read and review! You know the drill!**


	7. Chapter Seven: A Night to Remember

**1959, around 12:30..., Kashmir Restaurant**

Air bubbles floated, barely fleeting.

My lips, opened; my lungs, burning.

My forehead, cool; my mind, racing. A gentle shock slithered across my skin and jumped towards my face. I felt Violeta's hand on my cheek, caressing it gently . . . or was she? I gasped in shock, gurgling for air as I jolted up-right. Electricity had shocked me awake, for now. My eyes peered around before my body realized it had to escape the freezing prison of water. I jumped out, tripping over the edge and hitting the floor. More water. Deep. I noticed that the windows were cracking, water silently leaking in and pouring onto the floor as a result of an attack. That's right; Atlas' fault. Must find him and kill. I scrambled out of the water and leaned against a pillar, and I couldn't help but look up and feel afraid, wondering if Omega would be back. For once in a long time, I whimpered and stood up, hoping to find some consolation in this place. I couldn't.

"_DIMITRI_!" I yelled my throat burning from both the water and my own scream. I staggered forward, looking for a elevator. I then saw a couple, hands locked as their bodies were slumped against an elevator door. It continued to open and close on the woman's neck, halfway in before Splicers apparently killed them. I stepped in their blood before I pushed them apart with enough strength to throw the man's body to the other side of the hall. I didn't care for them; I needed to see Violeta. Stepping inside, I pressed a button that read _"Mercury Suites"_, and felt a movement as the elevator begin to climb.

I looked out of the glass window, gazing down on the seemingly endless count of Atlas supporters and Ryan loyalists when I remembered that Hal was with me! I began to quickly scan the bodies in search for my friend, but I immediately came to the conclusion that he was dead, even though I had no proof otherwise. The small ping of the elevator reminded me that the ride had stopped. I spun around and scanned the hallways for any sign of hostiles. Less than an hour and everything had gone to hell already. I raced down the hall and prepped an EVE syringe, shooting the liquid in my bloodstream with ease and smiled as the power flowed within me once again.

Soon enough, I was there; Dimitri's workshop, where I knew he and other survivors were housed inside. I quickly opened the door and walked inside. The Russian was standing in front of a table, most of his body blocking the silver work-space "Di-" I stopped, noticing the purple high-heels that my wife wore to the party. I saw her feet resting on the table.

Dimitri turned around and looked at me like he had seen a ghost. "Mark, you are alive!" he exclaimed, and quickly stepped forward and pushed into the next room and onto a chair.

"Dimitri, let go of me! I need to see her!" I screamed, fighting his hold, but it was much too strong for me. His left arm was applying too much pressure for me to move properly.

"Not until you calm down. I have bad news..." he replied in a grim tone. I tried preparing for the worst . . . but nothing was going to prepare me for what he said next.

"The bullet hit Violeta's internal organs. It was laced with a particular Plasmid that allowed the bullet to explode after being fired. She's _dying_, Mark," he paused to let the information sink in as I gaped in true horror, "But that's not the worst part. She was pregnant . . . with your baby."

It then came back to me. I was so distracted by what was going on, I didn't register what she said to me before.

_"Our . . . our b . . ."_ she had said. My wife had a child; just then I supposed she was going to tell me after the masquerade.

I was still reeling in shock, staring at the floor and not able to speak one word when Dimitri spoke. "Mark, I'm sorry. I had no idea that Violeta would be-" then it hit me. Dimitri was not only worried about the Big Daddies: he somehow knew about tonight's attack. "You FUCKING BASTARD!" I yelled, pushing him out of the way and to the table where I saw Violeta's soft eyes gazing up at me. My heart had been broken into several tiny pieces, wanting to be taped and glued back together, but I knew it wasn't going to be possible when Violeta spoke her last words to me.

"I-I love you, Mark. Danika does too," she coughed, blood trickling down her chin. My hand immediately clenched in rage as it engulfed me entirely, aware that I could never, ever, talk to her again when that small spark of life she had in her body went out... and with it, my hold on sanity.


	8. Chapter Eight: Beyond the Sea

_**12 hours later... around 12: 40 p.m.**_

In retrospect, it wasn't exactly the _brightest_ idea to try and kill one of my best friends. Dimitri had helped me the best he could, but I know for a fact that he knew about the attack earlier today. But now, as I stand in the pool of blood that was once from living people, it doesn't matter anymore. I slaughtered countless Splicers in a matter of hours, but I let Dimitri go.

My fingers twitched as the crackling source of power coursed through them, my veins lighting up every time I took a shot. Behind me, the lifeless body of Violeta lay silently, her eyes gazing up at the ceiling. I was not going to let anyone touch my beloved, no matter what the cost. My head turned toward the open door, hearing quieted voices in the hallway. The pipes and crowbars they carried scratched on the floor; could they make their presence anymore obvious? I lifted up my hands, concentrating on charging the electricity to a breaking point.

"Oh, Dr. von Tal . . ?" one voice whispered, tearing her pipe against the walls.

"We need to talk!" another, more masculine barked, banging his crowbar onto the floorboards.

Once they stuck their heads in the doorway, I released the _Electro Bolt_ from my hands, pushing out a stream of lightning. Their pitiful screams filled the hallway, and the smell of burnt flesh wafted into my nostrils. Oddly, it did not bother me in the least as I relaxed my hands and turned around, only to hear a soft whirring sound beyond the doorway. I readied my Plasmid to hit the next threat, only this time I saw security bot, projecting a screen instead of mounting a machine gun. On the screen, printed neatly at the bottom of the screen, was the name _"RYAN"_.

Mister Ryan's deep, cool voice was unusual for the events that were taking place right now, and reverberated into the room. "Hello, Mark. I see that you are . . ." he paused, the bot seeming to turn towards Violeta's body. I instinctively shuffled closer to the table, "Preserving her memory," he said, the final words sounding mournful, or at least practiced.

My head quickly nodded, flicking my wrists as the soft pain of electricity shot through my skin. "Yes, Mister Ryan. I . . . I won't leave her," my reply was quick, shaky, and precise.

Ryan, however, ignored this, "You no doubt have heard of the complications that have occurred in Hephaestus. We have lost all power here, and so . . . I have a proposition for you, if you will accept it."

My body began alertful, and intent on listening as I once again responded, "What sort of job?"

"I have need of your skills; namely, your advanced Plasmid abilities," he said.

And then I knew; he wanted me as a conduit, keeping the city alive constantly. Being the foremost expert on the Plasmid, I knew for a fact that I could divert my power to the core easily. I figured that I was primarily going to be powering Harmonic #3, as it was responsible for powering most of Ryan's needed locations. But I still had one biting question in my mind.

"What about Violeta? I _WON'T_ leave her!" I growled viciously, consciously knowing that was was left of my mind cracking away with each second of realization that she was dead.

As if expecting this, Ryan counters my anger, "Of course not, Mark! I would never ask you do such a thing; I have an idea for you... Come by, and bring her with you..." the security whirred to life and sped out of the room, leaving me alone with Violeta. I turned to her body, slowly taking her hand.

"I love you . . ." I whispered, tears running down my cheeks as I slowly hoisted her body up onto my shoulders . . .


	9. Chapter Nine: A Kick in the Head

**1960**

**Hephaestus, Harmonic Core Number 3**

It's been a year and two months since I lost the love of my life; a year and two months since everything went to hell. Now, as I stand on top of the Core, my hands gripping the cold frame of the command console, electricity tore through my body like a fuckin' hurricane. The lights continuously flickered on as I attempted to jump-start the machine, I glanced back at the glass case behind me, ice frosted over the covering as my abilities kept it going. I finally let go of the console, knowing that Hephaestus would keep going, and carried myself over to the long, glass case.

My right hand wiped away the frost, revealing the sweet face of Violeta. Ryan invited me up here, guaranteeing that he would be able to stop her body's decomposition. He used freezing temperatures and the solidarity of the case to keep her frozen, and somewhat... fresh. A look of utmost longing crossed my scarred facade. Unlike everything else in this hole, it seemed that despite Splicing up to unholy degrees, the_ Electro Bolt_ has kept my skin tight and normal, riding along my skin to "keep it awake", as it were. But not my mind; it's already been cracked, beaten, and shattered like a pane of glass. The blue glow lit up in my eyes as I heard . . . normal footsteps. My body immediately took me to the edge, peering down as I saw a full-grown man, wielding a modified shotgun to take down a Big Daddy. A growl reverberated through my throat, preparing to jump down and help... when I heard the familiar Irish brogue of . . .

"Atlas!" I roared, but it almost impossible to hear all the way down there. I knew that the man down at the lower levels of the Hephaestus was not Atlas, but he had to know him. I glanced back at the wife of my body before jumping off the Core and grabbing hold of the ledge across. I pulled myself up, and raced down the walkway before heading down the stairs. Atlas was responsible for the death of my wife, and so he would pay. I finally arrived to where the other man once was, and saw the defeated Bouncer and a normal girl running to the nearest Sister Vent. Who the hell was he, to just . . . cure them? Didn't he know that he could fuck up the city further by healing them? I could not help but smile to myself, and say something before the little girl disappeared to safety. It was supposed to be something along the lines of "I'm glad you're safe", but instead, I screamed, "I WILL KILL HIM!"

I realized then that I was past the point of no return, to where I could not even control my own words. Was I that weak? My thoughts were interrupted by the pattering of the "Spiders". I whipped around, sending out a quick jolt of lightning at the ceiling, and saw I a brief glimpse of the lanky, chuckling Splicers. My fingers clenched tightly, feeling the warm, painful sensation of electricity, and waited for the Spiders to appear.

"Look . . ! It's the Storm Splicer!" one of them screeched, and I responded instantly. "I AM NOT ONE OF YOU!" I roared, slamming one of my right hand onto the floor and positioned the other above my head, towards the ceiling. I unleashed the pent-up lightning in my hands to create a deadly current on the floor and ceiling. I heard the shrieks and cries of the Splicers, and finally the hard thuds as their bodies fell to the still-electrified floor. Behind my back, I heard the vibrating tone of a Splicer caught in the current, his voice emitting the same damn noise. I finally stopped the current, the Splicer's voice going silent and also falling to the floor.

Looking down the stairs, and jumped over the railing and silently followed the man with the shotgun. A jet of ice shot from his hand, freezing his enemies first before shattering them with a buckshot. He was creative; too bad he would have to die. I was about to move forward when I noticed the large... "torpedo" strapped to his back. What the hell? Was he hoping to make a dent in Mr. Ryan's front door? But as the man moved, it became clear that he wasn't going to Ryan's office. Instead, he boarded the elevator to . . . the center of the Core! With a quick gasp, I bolted up the stairs, trying to run my fastest. It wasn't a bomb; it was an EMP! A need for air soon became clear as I ascended the walkway to the top of the core. I ran to the edge of the core, where the elevator was bound to come up, and saw the man charge up the EMP and place it on the other command console. My eyes widened with shock, and turned around to get Violeta before all hell broke loose... again.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. My body wouldn't move as fast as I felt the rumble from the EMP and the energy being pushed and drained out of me. I staggered, feeling my heart ache with every beat. I screamed as the lights shattered, and I fell to the floor, hearing the voice of Atlas . . . Frank Fontaine . . . no, I killed him . . .

My vision became blurry, and I attempted to force my arms to climb up the side of the ice-cold case. The chill would turn off... I was almost to a standing position, when I felt a woman's hand on my shoulder, pulling me back easily. As I slowly fell backward, the woman's voice could be faintly heard.

"Take Violeta to Persephone. We will bring her back . . . somehow." the woman turned to my failing body, and spoke down to me. I weakly lifted up my hand and attempted to thrash out with a bolt of lightning, but nothing happened; I was forced to listen to her.

"Paradise is here, Mark. And it is all thanks to you . . ." I felt my eyes roll into the back of my head, and everything melted away.

. . .

. . .

Bitch.


	10. Chapter Ten: Won't You Please Come Home?

**1970**

**Underneath the Atlantic Ocean, City of Rapture**

_Exact Location, Unknown_

Everything was blasted into motion for me as a body fell into the small pool of water, which was apparently electrified as I gasped for air. I immediately bolted to a sitting position, clutching my chest tightly as my heart began pumping again. Opened my eyes, but it seemed that only one would actually open on command. I felt my other eye open, but... I couldn't see a damn thing! My free slowly reached up, trying to find the source of the problem, and found that a large portion of skin and fat from my brow had drooped off and hung over my eye. My heart began to beat wildly out of fear, hurting every single second.

How long has it been? How long since I "died", and that bitch Lamb stole my wife's body? Rage washed over me as I scrambled to a standing position, my naked feet hidden beneath the muddy water. My once-pristine clothes were now roughly ripped apart, and the faint marks on my skin that were on my skin years ago turned into dense scars, and my hands... my hands were shaking like mad, obviously itching to be fed with ADAM and EVE. Looking down at the water, I could briefly see my reflection; it was as if I was one of _them_, something I despised so much for the death of everyone I cared about. Shaking off that thought, I trudged through the water, finally reaching the stairs and discovering where I was: Dimitri's old laboratory. Destroyed and dilapidated, the place was no more a haven for the old doctor, a place to rummage for ADAM and EV-

EVE! That's right, Dimitri had kept a secret storage space for EVE hypos, in case someone needed them! I had only hoped that no one else had taken them yet as I used an inhuman strength to throw Dimitri's desk behind me. A small safe was embedded into the wall, in the corner; there was no time to hack it, so instead I simply tore off the lock like it was paper to reveal four Hypos, untouched. Joy and relief came onto my face as I grabbed one and eagerly prepped it. I needed that sensation back; one that would grant me powers of a god . . . I needed it so bad . . .

With a final deep, anticipated breath, I violently drove the needle into my arm. A short cry of pain came out as blood ran over my thin arm, and I slowly injected the blue liquid into my system. A sigh of pleasure coursed through me as the effects quickly took place. My veins glowed bright blue, and I felt my arms getting back to their normal size as bones cracked and muscles inflated. I screamed out loud, falling to my knees as sight slowly returned to my right eye, the skin tightening back up as electricity shocked me awake just before I would pass out. I cackled madly as power coursed through my veins, feeling my eyes light with a blue fire. With a swift movement, I slammed my right hand onto the floor and unleashed a strong current of electricity throughout the room, creating a fantastic light-show as I crackled with power.

"ARGH!" I roared in pain, finally remembering my objective. Lamb; that Lamb bitch. I have to kill her and get Violeta back. Turning around, I bolted through the room and out into the halls, running my fingers along and lit up the small space as I laughed with joy. When I did so, I heard the surprisingly still functional loudspeakers boom throughout the halls when I heard a familiar voice . . .

"Hello, Mark. How are you doing? Very vell, I hope," the Russian accent resounded through the speaker. Dimitri was still alive...

I said nothing in hopes of getting him to speak more, and my wish came true. "Very soon, an Alpha vill arrive to the holding cells; I vould like to ask a favor of you... as he cures the Little Sisters of their disease, a Big Sister vill come. She vill attempt to kill Jas- Delta; I vant you to stop her before this happens."

Breathing in deeply, I know I had already made my choice before he finished explaining. I darted down the hall, growling quietly and clenching my fists for an oncoming fight . . . with Delta. Skidding to a stop as I caught two figures out of the corner of my eye past a window, I peered through it. A large, hulking man with a diving suit on stood there, giant metal drill in one hand and Electro Bolt in the other. That must be Delta; the other was obviously Dimitri, but I vanished just as Delta looked towards the Plexiglas window. I came upon a big, expansive room, which was filled to a breaking point with large helmets. This was where they outfitted the Alpha and Prototype series . . . as I stood in awe, I slowly remembered what I needed to do. Climbing up the nearest wall like a damned Spider Splicer, I quickly reached the generator at the top. Small, but obviously in good working condition, it was the power source that sealed the cell doors shut. But what would happen if I turned off that power . . . ? A sickening cackle rose from my throat as I "summoned" the electricity from the machine and into my own body.

My body shook as I drained the generator dry, and I could faintly hear the low rumbling of all the Prototypes that were being released. Explosions rocked the halls and cells, and I could briefly see the lingering shadow of Beta.

"Please, you must get them all back, Jason!" Dimitri exclaimed, staying just behind Delta as the Alpha strode out into the room. Jason? Why was he calling him that? Shrugging off the thought, I cracked my fingers as I looked down from my perch and towards Delta.

"Ooi, boyo..."


	11. Chapter Eleven: My Other Name is Jason

**Author's Note:** This chapter is told from Delta's perspective, not Mark's. Delta is the main character in BioShock 2.

**"****_Ooi_****, boyo..."**

The voice resounded from the darkness of the room that I was in. It wasn't Dimitri's, nor was it a Splicer. At least, not a normal one. I looked down at myself, checking my diving suit to make sure everything was working properly. I revved the drill that was attached to my left hand, hearing the soft whirring before my left hand clenched and released. Small, blue tubes ran down my left arm, circling around so that they met the palm of my hand, where a panel sat to deliver the ADAM appropriately.

I flicked my hand, switching from _Electro Bolt_ to _Incinerate!_, and watched as the flames burst to life, traveling up to my fingers and spouting fire at the tips. I rose it upwards, trying to illuminate the area the best I could to see where the voice came from.

From behind me, I heard Dimitri. "Jason, keep Mark distracted! I'll try to get the power back on. _Spasibo_," he muttered, before turning around and leaving the room.

Jason . . . it was what Dimitri called me when I woke up. I remember him saying that it was because he knew a great soldier that sacrificed his life because of Dimitri's mistakes. So, I decided to wear the name silently, with pride.

But it wouldn't help when with this Splicer called Mark. Apparently the doctor knew him, so it wouldn't be a good idea to kill him. I looked up to where I heard the voice, and pushed my left hand out, sending a ball of flame to the ceiling. It hit the ceiling, and I barely saw the flicker of movement and the devilish blue eyes.

"_WHERE IS SHE_?" the Splicer roared, just moments before I felt a bolt of electricity hit my chest, sending me reeling until I hit the wall with a hard thud. The wall cracked with my weight, and I was forced to push myself off as I let out a thunderous roar to ward him off.

I had no idea who he was referring to, but apparently he thought that we had someone he knew. Clenching my hand into a fist, I let the Incinerate charge up briefly before releasing it into a long jet of fire, spanning the entire room, lighting it up and I could finally see the Splicer across the room.

He was standing near the corner, halfway hunched over; his appearance amazed me. Although his clothes were ruined and tattered, and the look in his eyes screamed Splicer, his skin and voice were more human-like than the others. His hair was short and brown, and his body was obviously sturdy and well-built, but the veins along his flesh were hardened and glowing blue as lightning crackled on his entire person.

A noise screeched in my helmet, and I instinctively turned my radio on to hear Dimitri's voice. "Mark . . . is one of my oldest and dearest friends. It was because of him that you are still alive, Jason. But during the Var, he lost his vife and child. Now, he is this lonely remnant of the man you see before you. Please, take pity, and just make him retreat..." the radio whined off, and I nodded promptly.

I took an immediately headlong rush at Mark, starting the drill as I aimed it at Mark's head, knowing that he would dodge it easily enough. And dodge he did, ducking out of the way as he screamed in anger. I felt him gripping the air tank upon my back, and turned off the fire Plasmid in favor of reaching back and grabbing Mark by the head, throwing him against the wall as I roared once more. I then gave a warning shot, slamming the tip of my drill into the wall, right next to his face, hoping he would take the cue and retreat.

"You fuckers! I kill you for what you've done!" screeched Mark, wriggling out of my grasp as he dashed away, breathing heavily. I watched him run into the furthest corridors, where I had seen Gamma lumbering around...

Oh no.

* * *

Spasibo: "_Thank you._"


	12. Chapter Twelve: Mister Sandman

I can't believe I underestimated that damned hunk of armor! If I was just a normal man, he would have killed me. Nevertheless, blood trickled from my mouth as I stumbled in the dark hallway, my hand searching the wall for some sign of another passage to find light. But, for what seemed like eternity, there was nothing. There was the faintest sound of music playing, which reminded me of Violeta and the first time that I knew that I was in love with her . . .

_It was in the New Year of 1949, when Andrew had decided to unveil his new workers that would maintain Rapture. Because of my stupidity, I ended up with a few broken ribs and no one to fix them. So I went to Violeta's first show as a singer at the Footlight Theater to take my mind off the pain._

_All of the lights, dim as they were to begin with, had suddenly shut off. It was meant to be a "power outage" - something that seemed rather absurd in Rapture, of all places- until a beam of blue-white light shone down on Violeta, who stepped out from behind the heavy curtain. I had immediately straightened myself, ignoring the throbbing pain in my side. She had worn a masterfully draped white dress adorned with small diamonds. The diamonds also shone upon her brow and a circlet of silver lie upon her brow. She stood silent and still on the stage, looking out upon the citizens of Rapture. And then she began to sing, low at first, and then beginning to gain power and strength._

**"****_Woah,"_**_ my breath was caught in my throat, not able to take my eyes off of her, Violeta's voice truly heavenly as she sang what sounded Icelandic lullaby. Of course, I didn't understand a single word she sang, but I enjoyed it nonetheless._

_Violeta ended her aria with her eyes closed, head bowed, and a solemn expression on her face. She took a step backward and the light upon her sparkling form was switched out. Violeta remained standing with her hands folded at her thighs._

_And just as I thought it was over, there was a second part to her act. Violeta reached behind her back and produced a tambourine. The white gown fell away from her, revealing another outfit beneath it, that one a vibrant fire-red color. She dropped the aforementioned white gown and danced, her voice rising again as she wailed an even more powerful part of the same song. My eyes relaxed and began to look glazed over, not being able to say a word as I was taken in with the performance._

_A split second after she was finished, midnight was upon them. The New Year had arrived. I was almost violently thrown out of the trance as the clocks rang deeply. I blinked several times as he noticed that it was now 1950! I lifted up my hands and began to clap and cheer, both at the New Year and for Violeta. I groaned in pain from the few broken ribs, and slowly stood up. I pushed past the crowd through the celebrating crowd before I got to Violeta._

**_"Darlin',"_**_ I said, _**_"You were wonderful! And you look gorgeous,"_**_ I exclaimed, clutching my ribs gently._

**_"Much thank. You . . . pleased by my song?"_**_ asked Violeta._

_I grinned happily despite the pain and nodded. _**_"Very pleased. It was beautiful."_**

_She then gazed down at my hand that splinting my ribcage._

**_"Mister Hadleigh? You... hurted?"_**_ she breathed, cocking her head this way and that, which made me smile softly._

**_"Yeah, I got a little too close to Omega..."_**_ I muttered before an expression of realization crossed my face, __**"Can you help?"**_

_At this question, Violeta drew herself close and placed her smaller hand over my larger one, and leaned up to whisper in my ear. _**_"Come with me."_**_ I was only given about two seconds before she slipped her fingers into mine before tugging me along towards her dressing room._

_Once we reached her room, she practically forced him down onto her vanity stool, placing her hand over his abdomen again, making me hiss gently. _**_"Take off shirt. Want see."_**

_I raised an eyebrow to question her directness, but I of course shrugged it off as medical curiosity. I deftly unbuttoned my shirt and let it fall to the floor, wondering what she was about to do._

_Resisting the urge to flinch when she felt the bones bunched up underneath my flesh, I watched as she frowned before she surprised me by pinning me against the edge of the counter with her hands directly over the bones. She then reached over my shoulder and drew a bottle of strong vodka from the shelf before opening and drinking it. I felt puzzled for a moment; wasn't I the one who was supposed to be drunk? But my question was answered when she immediately leaned in and felt her lips press against mine with a firm strength, forcing me to drink the liquid that was in her mouth._

_I mean, I would have downed it anyway, but there was no way I was going to argue as I tasted her soft lips in combination with the burn of the vodka. Fortunately, my body is particularly susceptible to strong liquor, and so I felt the effects of the vodka immediately. _**_"Woah . . . that was quick,"_**_ I said, blinking slowly._

_Apparently, that was all Violeta needed. Within a span of an instant, she was firmly against me, straddling my waist so that she could reset my ribcage. She bent herself a bit at the waist, her lips a centimeter from mine. _**_"Sorry,"_**_ I could barely register the word as she pushed down on the wound, eliciting a cacophony of snapping noises._

_I felt the urge to scream from the intense pain that came from the wound, but I held my tongue and only gave pained grunts and muffled yells. My hands eagerly gripped the sides of the stool, the nails digging into the wood until she finished, at which point I finally let out an unbridled scream of pain that resounded throughout the theater, though it would only be counted as a yell of celebration for the New Year._

_It was in that moment that I knew that I could depend on her, and she me . . . even if I failed so far, I wouldn't, in the end._

My thoughts were rudely interrupted when I heard shouts and screams from above. I had absentmindedly walked into a lobby, and I could see a hulking figure at the other end of the room. At first, I thought it was one of the Prototypes, but when the lights flickered back on, it was a Splicer. A very big, angry Splicer . . . like a _brute_. My eyes widened in shock, "What the _hell _have they been feeding you?" I had asked, but there was no answer.

Without barely anytime to react, the Brute charged at me with incredible agility, even more so than a Bouncer. I let out an yell of surprise, taking a step back, only to be tripped by a stray rock. I landed on my back with a heavy thud, and attempted to charge my powers to kill it before it could end me. But just as it got at least a foot away, I closed my eyes and hoped for the best.

And my prayers were answered. It seemed to get very cold in the room, and I opened my eyes to see the Brute encased in a thick layer of ice. The Brute's face held a look of utmost rage and I resisted the urge to reach out and touched it. But a voice to my side stopped me.

"Well well . . . you are definitely a sight for sore eyes, friend."

I recognized that voice. Turning my head to look over my right shoulder to see man with shaggy brown hair and deep blue eyes, and a serious expression on his face.

He was alive. Hal Freeman was alive.


End file.
